This invention relates to an operation monitoring and controlling apparatus for a computer system and in particular to an operation monitoring and controlling apparatus capable of operating a computer system without an operator and at the same time suitable for reducing consumed electric power.
As the construction of a computer system is enlarged and becomes more complicated, it becomes necessary to drive it with a high efficiency (saved power operation) by reducing consumed electric power. Concretely speaking, it is desirable to perform a saved power operation by switching-off the power supply for terminals or peripheral devices which are not being used, or by stopping automatically the computer system during the midnight time zone or on a holiday, etc., where the load of the computer system is lowered, and by starting the system automatically, when a user desires to use the computer system thereafter.
As such a prior art apparatus, a mutually monitoring and controlling apparatus for mutually starting computer systems having a network structure is disclosed in JP-A-55-53764. Further, as described in JP-A-60-5366, a controlling apparatus for driving small scale computers without operator is disclosed, in which power source switch-on commands are sent from a host computer to the small scale computers through communication lines, in a hierarchical connection of a network organization consisting of the host computer and the external devices (e.g. small scale computers). Further, another controlling apparatus, which starts/stops a computer system, depending on the power on/off status of terminal devices, has been filed by the same applicants and disclosed in JP-A-59-212930 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 38,307, filed on Apr. 14, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,163, issued Feb. 28, 1989, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent appln. Ser. No. 610,491, filed on May 16, 1984, now abandoned).
Concerning the prior art techniques described above, JP-A-55-53764 has an object to mutually start/stop as well as mutually monitor computer systems having a computer network structure. However, nothing is mentioned about the operation at the moment, where it is required to drive a partner computer, and no effect can be obtained by saved power operation of the computer system, and more concretely by on/off control of the power supply for the whole computer system. That is, it is premised that either one of the computer systems in the computer network structure is necessarily working and the start/stop control is effected by the computer system. Further, nothing is disclosed there about the power supply on/off control for groups of peripheral devices including terminals.
The apparatus disclosed in JP-A-60-5366 effects automatically the power supply on/off control for small scale computers according to instructions from the host computer, when the host computer and the small scale computers are connected hierarchically, forming a network structure, and therefore the host computer has the initiative.
In the apparatus disclosed in JP-A-59-212930 a mechanism for monitoring the power on/off status for each of the terminal devices is incorporated in a terminal controlling device and a control circuit in the power supplying section within the main part of the computer controls start/stop operation of the computer system on the basis of results of the monitoring. Consequently, the power supply on/off control and the start/stop operation of the system are effected, completely following the power on/off status for the groups of terminal devices. Therefore, a remarkable effect can be obtained, in the case where the job, which is running within the computer system, corresponds to the terminals.
However, in a usual calculation center, apart from the job corresponding to the terminals, (TSS (time sharing system), on-line processing programs, etc.), batch processing jobs are also running. Consequently, for the apparatus disclosed in JP-A-59-212930 the following items should be taken into account:
(1) To provide a control method giving rise to no contradictions to operations by an operator of the computer system; PA1 (2) To provide a method for dealing with the power supply, when a user has forgotten to switch-off the power supply of a terminal device; PA1 (3) To provide a control method for saved power operation of groups of devices other than the terminal devices; and PA1 (4) To provide a power supply on/off control method for the computer system in a state of waiting for job execution.
On the other hand, as the scope of utilization of computer systems is enlarged, it is desirable for users to be able to use them at any time when they desire. In this case it is preferable to try to reduce consumed electric power, when the load of the systems is low such as during the midnight time zone, etc., by stopping some of a plurality of processor groups, stopping automatically unnecessary groups of peripheral devices (including terminal devices) and stopping eventually air conditioning equipments therefor, and when the load becomes higher, the groups of devices including processors may be started automatically.
If these operations are effected by an operator of the computer system, it opposes the trend of the reduction of labor for the computer system operation.
On the other hand, when an operator wishes to operate the computer system, it should be always possible.